Infamous independent marque will be celebrated along with custom Citroens and the motor cars of the Raj

December 5, 2017

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Preston Tucker is the ultimate automotive underdog; even decades after his death, he’s remembered for trying -- and, sadly, failing -- to shake up the world with his rear-engined trinocular automotive vision. Whether his dream was ever viable, the handful of Tucker 48s he built before his company folded are cherished (and highly valued) collector's items.

Preston Tucker died on this date in 1956, at the age of 53. We remember him for the car that bore his name, the legal battles that dogged him for years, and the slick-talking dreamer who cut years off ...

Tucker fans have put a lot of effort into determining how many Tucker 48s were built -- trickier than it sounds, because additional cars were assembled from parts stock after the company went kaput -- and how many survive. The tally is a fairly definitive 47 out of 51, a strong survival rate for any vintage car model. Many are in museums, but others are tucked away in private collections, where they rarely see the light of day. We’re not sure how many are Pebble-bound, but we should learn more in the coming months.

Other notable classes include OSCA, postwar custom Citroen and -- this should be a good one -- motor cars of the Raj. Remember, the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours takes place a week later than normal, which means you have no reason not to hit the Woodward Dream Cruise before heading westward. If you drive from Woodward to Pebble in a freakin’ Tucker, you will officially be our hero forever.

Graham Kozak
- Graham Kozak drove a 1951 Packard 200 sedan in high school because he wanted something that would be easy to find in a parking lot. He thinks all the things they're doing with fuel injection and seatbelts these days are pretty nifty too.
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